Shrimp peeling and veining machine



Jan. 31. 1956 N. MILLER Re. 24,115

SHRIMP FEELING AND VEINING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 22, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGI. 14

x I I u. 68 w we 55 11a 3; I6 10 2a 24 ll' r L 4.5 49 F I H I H I, INVENTOR.

NIKOL I MIL L ER Jan. 31, 1956 N. MILLER v Re. 24,115

SHRIMP FEELING mo VEINING MACHINE.

Original Filed Sept. 22, 1950 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 as *2 M EN I N VEN TOR. lV/KOL I MILL E2 A T TORA/EX Jan. 31, 1956 N. MILLER SHRIMP FEELING AND VEINING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 22, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. NIKOL MIL L -'R ATTWIVEX United States Patent 24,115 SHRIMP PEELING AND VEINING MACHINE Nikoii Miller, St. Simons Island, Ga.

Original No. 2,637,064, dated May 5, 1953, Serial No. 186,279, September 22, 1950. Application for reissue April 29, 1955, Serial No. 505,078

23 Claims. (Ci. 17-2) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets If] appears in the original patent but/forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This invention relates to a food processing apparatus and more particularly to a device adapted to separate the vein and shell from the meat of a shrimp.

As is well known in the industry, one of the most expensive steps necessary in the packing of shrimp or the canning thereof is the removal of the vein and the shell from the shrimp. While it is realized that vari- .ous devices have been suggested for this purpose, these have proved somewhat unsatisfactory because of their high initial cost and because oftheir sometimes ineffective and always erratic operation. Therefore, this process is, for the most part, now being carried on by hand. it is therefore an object of this invention to provide an extremely simple and compact device which will readily perform this heretofore difficult and expensive operation in a positive manner at a rapid rate.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device which will rapidly separate the shell and vein from the meat of the shrimp and which will deposit the shell and vein at a different locale from where the meat is carried.

Various features are included in this shrimp peeling and veining machine which consist of conveyor means for delivering the shrimp against a blade'which is adapted to penetrate the shrimp which had previously beenbeheaded so as to urge the meat to cause the shell to rupture adjacent the upper and weakest point thereof. These elements of the invention are mounted on a platform which has a discharge opening therein through which the shell is deposited. There is also provided a roller for maintaining the proper amount of downward pressure on the shrimp when such is in engagement with v the blade.

Still further objects of the invention reside in the provision of this shrimp peeling and veining machine which is strong, durable, highly efiicient in operation, simple in construction and manufacture, capable of processing a large number of shrimp in a minimum period of time, and which machine is deft and sure in its operation while requiring a minimum amount of attention.

These, together with the various ancillary objects of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this shrimp peeling and veining machine, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawtags, by way of example only wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the shrimp processing apparatus comprising the present invention, the driving motor and its support being omitted from the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the invention;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of this shrimp peeling and veining machine, being taken from the left end of Figure l;

Figure 4 is enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional detail view as taken along the plane of the section line 4-4 in Figure l;

ice

tional detail view as taken along the plane of the section line 77 in Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical transverse section detail view of the means for adjusting the spaced relationship of the spaced conveyors, being taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 8-8 of Figure 2.

Referring more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, and more espeicially to Figures 2 and 3, reference numeral 10 is generally used to designate any suitable supporting table which may be used to support the.platform 12. Supported by the table 10 is a prime mover 14 which drives a first sprocket gear 16. The sprocket gear 16 is drivingly connected by means of a chain 18 to a sprocket gear 20 which is mounted on a shaft 22. It is to be noted that while chain drives have been used in the present embodiment of the invention, this device may be equally well driven by belts, pulleys, or any other suitable drive means.

Also mounted on the opposite end of the shaft 22 as shown in Figure 3 is a gear 24 which drivingly engages a gear 26 mounted on a shaft 28. Further, there is mounted on the shaft 22 a sprocket wheel 30 which is connected by a chain 32 to a sprocket wheel 34 mounted on a shaft 36 on which a pulley 38 is secured. Another pulley 40, see Figure 4, is rotatabiy mounted below the platform 12 in alignment with a discharge opening formed in the platform 12. A belt is trained about the pulleys38 and 40 to form a horizontalbeit conveyor. I

Alsosecuredontheshaft22,asshowninFigure 7I are bevel gears 46 and 48 which drive the horizontally 1 positioned bevel gears 50 and 52 which drive shafts laterally spaced vertical belt conveyors. It is to be noted that the pulleys 62 and 64 are positioned under guide flanges 70 and 72 which have cut-away portions, as at 74 and 76, so as not to hinder the discharge of the meat of the shrimp, as will hereinafter be explained.

Mounted on the platform 12 by means of suitable brackets 78 which are bolted to the platform 12 are tubular members 80 within which plungers 82 are inserted. The plungers 82 each carry a fork 84 within the conlines of which rollers 86 are journaled. A threaded rod 88 extends rearwardly from the piungers 82 and is threaded, as at 90, for engagement by a wing nut 92. A coil spring 93 coaxial with the rod 88 biases the plunger 82 and the wing nut 92 so as to continuously urge the rollers 86 into engagement with the adjacent portions of the belts thereby yieldingiy urging the latter towards each other to form opposed yieldable moving side walls for conveying the shrimp.

With the shrimp fed in its proper position, as shown in Figure 4, at the start of the belts 66 and 68 and 44, the shrimp will be carried forwardly upon the horizontal belt 44 and retained in fixed position thereon by the vertical belts 66 and 68 and will be carried against the stationary wedge-shaped piercing tool or blade 94 which is bolwd Reiasuecl Jan. 31, 1956 by means of bolts 96 to the platform 12 and has a pointed end projecting rearwardly and is located between the inner runs of the belt. The pointed end the blade or piercing tool is disposed above and irt spaced relation to the belt 44. The pointed end of the blade will then penetrate the shrimp which is fed after it has been beheaded, so as to urge the meat upwardly to cause a rupture adjacent the weak point of the shell and so as to carry the meat upwardly over the blade, as is indicated at M in the drawings. The shell and vein are then urged downwardly due to the action of the blade 94 through the discharge opening 42 in the platform 12. For properly urging the shrimp downwardly into position on the conveyor 44 [34] and into engagement with the blade 94 is a roller 96 fixedly secured to an axle 97 which is carried by an arm 98 and is iournaled thereon. The arm 98 is suitably weighted, as at 100 and 102 and is freely rotatably mounted on a shaft 104 extending between standards 106, 108 which extend upwardly from the platform 12. Mounted on the shaft 104 is a drive pulley 110 which is connected by means of chain 112 which is connected to a sprocket 114 mounted on the shaft 28. Another sprocket gear 116 is mounted on the shaft 104 which is connected by means of chain 118 to drive a sprocket gear 120 upon the axle 97 in order to rotate the drive roller 96.

Since the wheel 96 is yieldable, it will press difierent sizes of shrimp down against belt 44, and since the pointed end of the tool 94 is always spaced above the belt, it will enter the veins of shrimps of various sizes. The lower portion of the tool or blade 94 is inclined downwardly and forwardly, whereas the upper portion thereof is inclined upwardly and forwardly. Thus, the shell is moveddown and the meat up as the shell is separated from the meat.

In operation, the shrimp is fed by hand with its front end foremost and its tail uppermost into the conveyor system between the spaced conveyors 66 and 68. It is then delivered into engagement with the blade 94 which urges the meat upwardly from the vein and shell to thus rupture and remove the shell. The blade urges the shell downwardly and removes such from the meat. The meat is then carried over the blade 94 as is indicated at M by the two side conveyors, and dropsfrom the diverging ends of the latter at the end of the platform while the shell is deposited through the discharge opening 42, as is indicated at S.

It is to be noted that'the roller 96 is rotated due to proper gearing at the same speed of revolution as the conveyor belts. This roller presses and places the shrimp at the point of the blade which catches the section of the shrimp where the vein is located. Thus, a. positive action on the shrimp will be obtained.

It will be further apparent that the springs [94] 93 will cause the rollers 86 to press the belts toward each other to frictionally and resiliently grasp the shrimp therebetween. This inward thrust of the rollers is adjustably limited by the wing nuts 92, providing an adjustable minimum clearance between the belts.

Since, from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this shrimp peeling and veining device is readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily ocour to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may readily be resorted to which fall .within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new 1. A shrimp peeling and veining machine including a platform having a discharge opening therethrough, an elongated piercing tool mounted above said platform and having a point overlying said opening, means operatively associated with said platform for moving a shrimp upon its back and head end foremost across said platform to wards said opening and piercing tool, said piercing tool having its point positioned to penetrate longitudinally the body of a shrimp at the sand vein of the shrimp as the latter is moved across the platform upon its back towards said tool whereby the shell and sand vein are removed from the shrimp and are urged by said tool through said discharge opening and the meat of the shrimp is directed over said tool.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said piercing tool is stationary.

3. The combination of claim '1 wherein said piercing tool is stationarily mounted upon said platform rearwardly of said opening.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said moving means comprises a pair of spaced conveyor belts forming opposed moving side walls between which the shrimp is carried and means for adjusting the spaced relationship of said spaced conveyor belts.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said moving means comprises a pair of spaced conveyor belts forming opposed moving side walls between which the shrimp is carried, a horizontal belt conveyor positioned below said spaced conveyor belts and resting upon said platform.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said moving means comprises a pair of spaced conveyor belts forming opposed moving side walls between which the shrimp is carried and means for adjusting the spaced relationship of said spaced conveyor belts, said last means comprising rollers resiliently engaging the portion of the conveyor belts forming the moving side walls and urging the side walls towards each other and threaded means for limiting the position of the rollers.

7. A shrimp peeling and veining machine including a platform having a discharge opening therethrough, an elongated piercing tool mounted above said platform and having a point overlying said opening, means operatively associated with said platform for moving a shrimp upon its back and head end foremost across said platform towards said opening and piercing tool, said piercing tool having its point positioned to penetrate longitudinally the body of a shrimp at the sand vien of the shrimp as the latter is moved across the platform upon its back towards said tool whereby the shell and sand vein are removed from the shrimp and are urged by said tool through said discharge opening and the meat of the shrimp is directed over said tool, a rotatable pressure wheel disposed above said piercing tool, means supporting and iournaling said pressure wheel, means operatively associated with said pressure wheel for rotating said pressure wheel.

8. A shrimp peeling and veining machine including a platform having a discharge opening therethrough, an elongated piercing tool mounted above said platform and havin a point overlying said opening, means operatively associated with said platform for moving a shrimp upon its back and head end foremost across said platform towards said opening and piercing tool, said piercing tool having its point positioned to penetrate longitudinally the body of a shrimp at the sand vein of the shrimp as the latter is moved across the platform upon its back towards said tool whereby the shell and sand vein are removed from the shrimp and are urged by said tool through said discharge opening and the meat of the shrimp is directed over said tool, a horizontal shaft mounted above and extending transversely of said platform, an arm mounted upon said shaft for vertically pivoting movement, a pressure wheel rotatably iournaled on said arm for pressing a shrimp downwardly upon said platform adjacent said piercing tool, means operatively connecting said pressure wheel to said shaft, means operatively associated with said pressure wheel for rotating said shaft.

9. A shrimp peeling and veining machine including a platform having a discharge opening therethrougb, an

elongated piercing tool mounted above said platform and having a point overlying said opening, means operatively associated with said platform for moving a shrimp upon its back and head end foremost across said platform towards said opening and piercing tool, said piercing tool having its point positioned to penetrate' longitudinally the body of a shrimp at the sand vein of the shrimp as the latter is moved across the platform upon its back towards said tool whereby the shell and said vcin are removed from the shrimp and are urged by said tool through said discharge opening and the meat of the shrimp is directed over said tool, a horizontal shaft mounted above and extending transversely of said platform, an arm mounted upon said shaft for vertically pivoting movement, a pressure wheel rotatably journaled on said arm for pressing a shrimp downwardly upon said platform adjacent said piercing tool, means operatively connecting said pressure wheel to said shaft,

'means including interconnecting drive means for rotating said shaft, in timed relation to movement of said moving means.

10. The combination of claim 7 wherein said last mentioned means includes means for causing movement of said moving means and said pressure wheel at such speed that the linear speed of the pressure wheel at the moving means and the shrimp carried thereby is equal to the linear speed of the shrimp and the moving means.

11. A shrimp peeling and veining machine comprising means to move a shrimp forwardly on its back, with head end foremost, said means comprising opposed members to grip opposite sides of the'shrimp, an elongated tapering piercing tool centrally positioned between the gripping members and having a pointed end projecting rearwardly to penetrate longitudinally the body of a forwardly moved shrimp at the sand vein of the shrimp, means operatively associated with said moving means below said moving means to support the forwardly moved shrimp in advance of the tool and below the pointed end of the tool, and yieldable pressure means .in advance of the pointed end of the tool and between the gripping means to press the leading end of the forwardly moved shrimp down against said supporting means, said pointed end of said tool being disposed above and spaced from said supporting means, whereby the point of the tool will engage the sand vein of the shrimp above the portion of the shell which contacts the supporting means, irrespective of the height of the shrimp and whereby the shell is separated at its top weakest portion and the shell and vein are removed from the shrimp and are urged downwardly, and the meat of the shrimp is directed over said tool.

12. The combination of claim 11,. in combination with means to move said supporting means forwardly at the same speed that said shrimp is moved forwardly by said shrimp moving means.

13. The combination of claim 12, wherein said yieldable pressure means includes meansto urge the shrimp forwardly as it is being pressed downwardly.

14. The combination of claim 11, wherein said yieldoble pressure means includes means to urge the shrimp forwardly as it is pressed downwardly.

15. The combination of claim 11 wherein said machine is formed with a space forwardly of said supporting means through which the removed shell may drop.

16. The combination of claim 11, said tool having an upper, forwardly and upwardly inclined portion, and a lower, forwardly and downwardly inclined portion.

17. A shrimp peeling and veining machine comprising a pair of spaced conveyor belts forming opposed parallel side walls, means to move said conveyor belts so that the opposed side walls will move forwardly in the same direction at the same speed, and between which a shrimp placed between said walls may be moved forwardly upon its back and head end foremost, supporting means disposed just beneath said opposed side walls to support the shrimp as it is moved forwardly by said opposed wall, an elongated tapering piercing tool having a point positioned between said opposed walls and disposed above and spaced from said supporting means and projecting rearwardly of the direction of movement of said opposed walls, to penetrate longitudinally the body of a shrimp at the sand vein of the shrimp and above the portion of the shrimp shell which contacts the supporting means, as the shrimp is moved forwardly by said opposed walls over said supporting means, whereby the shell is separated at its top weakest portion and the shell and vein are removed from the shrimp and are urged by said tool downwardly, and the meat of the shrimp is directed over said tool, said supporting means terminating beneath said tool whereby to provide space through which the shell and sand vein are discharged,

and yieldable pressure means between said opposed walls and in advance of the point of the tool to press the leading end of the shrimp down against said supporting means whereby the point of said tool will engage the sand vein of the shrimp irrespective of the height of the shrimp.

18. The combination of claim 17, wherein said supporting means comprises a belt conveyor having a run positioned below said opposed side walls, and means for moving said run of said belt in the same direction as said opposed side walls of said pair of belts.

19. The combination of claim 17, wherein said yieldable pressure means comprises a rotatable wheel having a portion thereof projecting between said opposed side walls, and means for rotating said wheel in a direction for moving the portion of the wheel between the opposed walls forwardly.

20. The combination of claim 19, said wheel being movable up and down and being biased downwardly so that the amount it projects downwardly between the opposed walls may vary.

2]. The combination of claim 17, in combination with means to press said side walls toward each other to firmly grip the shrimp.

22. A shrimp peeling and veining machine including a support and having a discharge opening, an elongated piercing tool mounted above said support and having I a point overlying said opening, means operatively associated with said support for moving a shrimp upon its back and head end foremost on said support toward said opening and piercing tool, said piercing tool having its point positioned in spaced relation above said support to penetrate longitudinally the body of the shrimp at the sand vein of the shrimp and above the shell of the shrimp as the latter is moved across the support upon its back toward said tool and the underside of the tool being inclined downwardly in the direction of movement of the shrimp whereby the shell and sand vein are removed from said shrimp and are urged by' References Cited in the file of this patent or the original patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,627,479 Bucknam May 3, 1927 2,034,691 Bottker et a1. Mar. 24, 1936 2,147,633 Bottker Feb. 21, 1939 2,173,336 Lamere et a1 Sept. 19, 1939 2,263,697 Grayson Nov. 25, 1941 2,518,772 Grausgruber Aug. 15, 1950 

